Abstract

Chloroform extracts, n-butanol extracts, water extracts, and volatile compounds from seven species belonging to six Black Sea genera of brown algae and 10 species belonging to seven Black Sea genera of red algae were assessed for antibacterial, antiviral, and cytotoxic properties. Most of the extracts showed pronounced effects against the Gram (+) bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. Activity towards the Gram (-) bacterium Escherichia coli was found in only few cases. A significant reduction in replication of influenza and Herpes simplex viruses in cell cultures was observed. Cytotoxic effect was established in a significant proportion of the algae investigated. The biological activities may be attributed to the presence of volatile compounds, some phenols, free fatty acids and their oxidized derivatives, eucalyptol, the methyl ester of phenyl acetic acid, and 1,2-dihydroxy ethane sulfonate.